Vlogger Called Out For Filming Himself Moments After Father’s Death

Keith Talen/YouTube

While YouTubers are known for displaying their lives openly on the internet, one vlogger has raised questions of morality and ethics online thanks to a recent video he shared.

Filipino YouTuber Keith Talens recently uploaded a video titled ‘SURPRISING DAD ON FATHER’S DAY (SADDEST DAY OF MY LIFE)’ to YouTube. It starts with Talens and his family in a car, apparently on the way to play a fun prank on his dad.

The tone is at first light-hearted, as Talens and others joke around in the car on the way to his dad’s house.

Keith Talens/YouTube

After six and a half minutes though, the tone shifts suddenly and footage cuts to Talens sobbing in front of a hospital bed. His dad reportedly passed away just before Keith arrived at the house.

However, the video – now being recorded by someone else – doesn’t stop, and the footage shows Talens pacing around the hospital, clearly emotional, before filming his actions at his father’s bedside.

The video was uploaded on June 15, and at time of writing has amassed over 4 million views.

While many viewers have expressed their sorrow and condolences for Talens at such a sad time, others have questioned the YouTuber’s motive in publishing the video, especially given its distressing content, its polished editing and the fact it could be monetized by the vlogger.

As one person put it:

There is this vlogger Keith Talens who had just lost his father and I understand how heartbreaking it was (i lost mine too). But is the death of your father really necessary for you to make it a content of your vlog and post it in social media?

Another said:

I don’t know the full Keith Talens story but I think it is completely disrespectful to show your fathers body to the camera. If your intention was to showcase your planned surprise, then you should’ve cut the video by the time you saw your father.

Talens has since posted a followup to the video, titled ‘ANO BA NANGYARI SA DADE KO’ (What happened to my father), in which he defends himself from critics, saying: ‘I’m not the kind of person who would create a vlog about his father knowing his father’s dead,’ as per VICE. The followup video was uploaded a day after the first one.

YouTube has a policy against graphic or violent content. And while Talens’ video doesn’t seem to violate any guidelines, despite apparent shots of his father’s dead body, some viewers have found the video to be in bad taste, raising questions over social media posting to grieve, and where to draw the line when it comes to online content.

If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence contact Cruse Bereavement Care via their national helpline on 0808 808 1677.

Charlie Cocksedge

Charlie Cocksedge is a journalist and sub-editor at UNILAD. He graduated from the University of Manchester with an MA in Creative Writing, where he learnt how to write in the third person, before getting his NCTJ. His work has also appeared in such places as The Guardian, PN Review and the bin.